Along with the comfort of reserved seats and pleasure of beautiful views, the Alaska Railroad offers adventurous travelers access to otherwise unreachable Alaskan backcountry. This roundtrip train ride passes through one such access point, the Spencer Glacier Whistle Stop.
Access to otherwise unreachable Alaskan backcountry.
For this day trip, passengers board the Glacier Discovery train leaving the Anchorage Depot at 9:45 AM. As the train leaves the city, it travels 50 miles along the picturesque Turnagain Arm. At the arm's end, the train turns north, passing beneath a series of hanging glaciers and through two tunnels on the way to the next stop in Whittier. After a quick pause, the route follows the same spur track back to Portage and then into the Kenai Mountain wilderness. The train pulls into the Spencer Glacier Whistle Stop at about 1:45 PM.
Passengers can make reservations for an add-on Spencer Glacier tour, or explore the area on their own before the train returns at 4:30 PM. The Spencer Glacier Whistle stop has marked trails, covered picnic tables, interpretive kiosks, and outhouses.
After stopping to pick up day trippers at Spencer, the Glacier Discovery train returns to Portage where passengers switch to a motorcoach for the final leg back to Anchorage. Utilizing the motorcoach for this portion shortens the trip by more than two hours. The trip ends at the Anchorage Depot about 6:45 PM.
More Details
The Alaska Railroad offers one level of service on the Spencer Glacier route. All passengers are seated in spacious Adventure Class cars with tall windows and large seats. Everyone enjoys access to a shared dome observation car and the ability to easily walk between different cars on the train. Food and beverages are available for purchase onboard in the Wilderness Café.
What to Bring
Bring a camera, medications, and government issued photo ID. Bring a credit or debit card for additional onboard purchases (cash not accepted). It is a good idea to dress in layers, since the temperature can vary depending on the weather and the train car's heating and cooling system. It is also often chilly on the outside viewing platforms.
Special Instructions
Check in at the depot with a valid government issued photo ID one hour prior to departure. Boarding passes with seat assignments will be issued then. All passengers are assigned seats by the Alaska Railroad upon check in at the depot. The Alaska Railroad offers checked baggage service. Passengers are allowed two checked bags plus one carry on, with dimension and weight restrictions like those of airlines. The Alaska Railroad charges $20 per item for oversized or excess baggage.
Departure/Arrival Points
Passengers can transfer to and from the Anchorage Depot by taxi, rideshare, or hotel shuttle (where available).
Anchorage Train Depot 411 West 1st Avenue Anchorage, AK 99501
Rates & Dates
Here are the rates and operating dates for this product. Remember, we have a lowest price guarantee for nearly everything we sell.
Child rates apply to children under the age of 12. Infants under the age of 2 may travel for free but must sit on an adult's lap.
Rates & Dates
Dates
Adult
Child
Infant
5/25/25 (Su) to 9/15/25 (M)5/25/25 (Su) to 9/15/25 (M)
Adult: $149.00
Child: $75.00
Infant: $0.00
The rates above are subject to change without notice.
Departure Times
Departure times and locations are listed below. Click on a link for an interactive map.
Select a departure below to see current availability. If your desired date is sold out (red) we will do our best to find an alternative, but we may not be able to accommodate your request.
"We had an amazing experience on the train. We did the Forest Ranger guided hike at Spencer Lake, which was perfect for what we wanted to see and learn."
